GAME PREVIEW | Islanders – Canadiens: Habs Honour Past Captains

By
Sam Gerber
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GAME DAY | Montreal Canadiens vs New York Islanders: Preview, TV,  Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 1  BOS 3  F   Moral victories are meaningless particularly with the losing streak extending to eight games. The Canadiens scored early and hung on for two periods. But an undisciplined penalty by Nick Cousins unraveled the fragile team.

For a complete game recap: Habs Not Good Enough

Players to watch

  • Joel Armia
    Armia has 10 goals on the season, just three goals from a career high. Armia has been one of the Habs best players and has benefited from an increased role.
  • Ben Chiarot
    Chiarot is starting to get into a groove and even though the Habs aren’t doing well, individually Chiarot has played well.
  • Nick Cousins
    Cousins took a bad penalty and was on for the third goal against. It wasn’t one of his best moments of the season and he will surely want to make up for it.

Keys to Victory

  • Manage emotions
    The Habs are going to be on edge not wanting the streak to go on any longer. In addition they will have the emotion of the former captains in the building. It’s important that they manage their emotions.
  • Create offence
    The Islanders have allowed the fewest goals against in the league and it will be easy for the Habs to be frustrated. They must find a way to score.
  • Win the start
    With the fans getting more impatient, the Habs need to have a strong start to build energy in the building. 
Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | December 3, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, MSG+

2019-20 statistics
ISLANDERS CANADIENS
38 (4th) Points (rank) 28 (23rd)
18-5-2 Record 11-10-6
7-3-1 Away/Home 6-6-3
7-2-1 Last 10 2-5-3
2.92 GF/G 3.31
2.36 GA/G 3.54
18.3 PP% 19.0
83.6 PK% 73.4
46.03  CF% 54.05
Pre-game quotes
Claude Julien

  • “Right now, I think in order to turn things around you need to play really, really well and we’re going to need a little bit of puck luck. I’ve won a Stanley Cup (with the Boston Bruins in 2011) and I can stand here and tell you that had we not had any puck luck, we wouldn’t have won a Stanley Cup. So that’s part of the game, and there are certain things you can control, and certain things you can’t. All we can control right now is our effort and then playing well and hoping that along the way maybe the bounce goes your way versus against you.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Lee – Barzal – Bailey
Beauvillier – Nelson – Brassard
Komarov – Koivula – Eberle
 Martin – Cizikas – Clutterbuck		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Cousins – Domi – Suzuki
Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Armia
Peca – Thompson – Weal
Defensemen
Leddy – Boychuk
Pelech – Pulock
Toews – Mayfield		 Chiarot – Weber
Kulak – Petry
Olofsson – Fleury
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Johnston, Dal Colle, Dobson
Injured: Kuhnhackl
 Scratched: Reilly, Folin, Hudon
Injured: Drouin, Byron, Mete
Goalies
Thomas Greiss Carey Price
Record: 10-2-0
GAA: – 2.10
Sv%: – .931
SO: 0
Alternate: Semyon Varlamov		 Record: 10-9-3
GAA: – 3.18
Sv%: – .898
SO: 1
Alternate: Cayden Primeau
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
With the Habs celebrating the captains’ reunion, the Bell Centre will be buzzing and the Habs need to feed off that energy. The Islanders have won two straight and are the top defensive team in the league. If the Habs don’t win tonight, I would expect more roster moves or possibly a change in leadership or management.
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